Orientation.

Monday-- A stuffy nose prevented me from going back to sleep at 5AM so I stayed awake. Apparently, my mom also couldn't go back to sleep so she watched TV. We were suppose to leave around 7-7:30 to orientation at UCR. I was hungry but I couldn't eat. I don't know why. I wasn't nervous or anything. So I threw my bag and my duffle bag (which I ran out to get last minute) into the car and we headed to aunt's shop so my dad could grab a cup of coffee. Then we were on our way to UCR. When I arrived, my parents told me to get the food they offered because I hadn't had anything to eat yet. I took a mini blueberry croissant which I gave to my dad after I couldn't finish the other half. My mom and dad stood and waited while I checked in. They gave me my folder and room key. I turned around the dorm area were about 10-20 orientation leaders (all UCR students- second years mostly) holding their big name sign and marching around and shouting cheers. I looked for my leader and there he was, Cameron! I was the first one there then another girl arrived. Cameron told us to put our stuff in the dorm. I had so much trouble unlocking the door. When I got in, I put my stuff down and waited for my roommate. Later, someone was trying to open the door so I opened it for them. The girl came in and we introduced ourselves. I told her, "I'll see you soon" as I walked out the room. Then another girl entered the same room and I stopped in my tracks, thinking, "there's three of us?" So I waited to see what happened. Apparently, the first girl that came in, the one I opened the door for, got the wrong room. This was my fault. So when I heard she got the wrong room and she walked out, I walked back in the room and introduced myself to my actual roommate--who said she wasn't going to stay. So yes... I had the room all to myself! I walked back out and we met everyone else in our group. Cameron taught us a few UCR cheers:

"DO YOU HAVE ENERGY?!"
"RAWR!!!!!!!!!!!"

"SHOW ME ENTHUSIASM!"
"AHHHHHHHHH!!"

"Whose side?!"
"R side!"

and a lottttttttttttt more.

So we had "cheer" or "spirit" battles with other groups. The winner gets the spirit stick. If a group wants the stick, they must challenge the group. We were the third group or so to get the stick. We played ice breakers, common ground, dances, and all sorts of stuff. We walked to lothian dining hall (which felt like a mile away beacuse we had to walk down a hill, cross the street, and walk up another hill). We had union rings that were the bomb, sandwich, ice cream, and some other stuff. For dinner we had "all you can eat" so me and S got sushi (twice). We played common ground where we all (about 200 of us) stood in a circle and they read out things that might apply to us. If it does, we step into the circle. There were so many personal questions and I didn';t expect people to step in on some. And what I definitely didn't expect were a lot of Asians. First the African Americans stepped in, then Latino, then Asians. I think there were more Asians than all the other ones. It was crazy. Then we had "camp" where we had dances, games, and some other stuff. It ended around 10 PM. That's when we were able to chose to go to the dance the hosted (loud music, etc.) or go back to our dorm and chill. I went back to finish my survey, ate some cookies, walked around, and went to bed. The bed was so high I had to actually climb up leg first like a little kid.

I woke up the next morning a few times. My dad called to make sure I woke up on time. I got dressed and met up with the group. We walked to lothian for breakfast (french toast, hash brown, sausage, and some other stuff). Then we walked miles to lecture hall again and got our registration lecture, which I almost fell asleep. We had presentatoins and what not. Registered for class, took ID pictures, hung out, etc. I really like the school. I think other than my elementary school, I might show some school spirit.

WHOSE SIDE?!
R SIDE!